1876: A New League Begins

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

The 1878 Silver Slugger Awards by position:

C - Cal McVey, Boston Red Caps (second consecutive win; fourth overall)
1B - Cap Anson, Boston Red Caps (fifth consecutive win)
2B - Ross Barnes, Boston Red Caps (second consecutive win; seventh overall)
SS - Tom Barlow, Chicago White Stockings (fourth overall win)
3B - Levi Meyerle, Chicago White Stockings (third overall win)
LF - Abner Dalrymple, Milwaukee Grays (first win)
CF - Paul Hines, Chicago White Stockings (first win)
RF - Buttercup Dickerson, Cincinnati Reds (first win)

And the Gold Glove Awards by position:

P - Pud Galvin, Indianapolis Blues (first win)
C - John Clapp, Providence Grays (first win)
1B - Cap Anson, Boston Red Caps (third win)
2B - Bob "Magnet" Addy, Cincinnati Reds (first win)
SS - George Wright, Milwaukee Grays (second win)
3B - Ezra Sutton, Indianapolis Blues (third win)
LF - Abner Dalrymple, Milwaukee Grays (first win)
CF - Count Sensenderfer, Boston Red Caps (third win)
RF - Orator Shaffer, Boston Red Caps (second win)

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

YEAR-BY-YEAR WINNERS, GOLD GLOVE AWARDS

Pitcher

1871 - Asa Brainard, Washington Olympics
1872 - John "Lefty" McMullin, Troy Haymakers
1873 - John "Lefty" McMullin, Baltimore Canaries
1874 - Frank Fleet, Philadelphia Whites
1875 - Frank Fleet, Philadelphia Whites
1876 - Tommy Bond, Louisville Grays
1877 - Harry Arundel, Louisville Grays
1878 - Pud Galvin, Indianapolis Blues

Catcher

1871 - Mike McGeary, Troy Haymakers
1872 - Mike McGeary, Troy Haymakers
1873 - Pop Snyder, Washington Blue Legs
1874 - Pop Snyder, Chicago White Stockings
1875 - Doug Allison, Philadelphia Whites
1876 - Tim McGinley, Louisville Grays
1877 - Dick Higham, Cincinnati Reds
1878 - John Clapp, Providence Grays

First Base

1871 - Denny Mack, Rockford Forest Citys
1872 - Charlie Gould, Boston Red Stockings
1873 - Cap Anson, Brooklyn Atlantics
1874 - Cap Anson, Brooklyn Atlantics
1875 - Denny Mack, Chicago White Stockings
1876 - Jim Devlin, Chicago White Stockings
1877 - Clipper Flynn, St. Louis Brown Stockings
1878 - Cap Anson, Boston Red Caps

Second Base

1871 - Tom Carey, Fort Wayne Kekiongas
1872 - Ross Barnes, Boston Red Stockings
1873 - Andy Leonard, Baltimore Canaries
1874 - Ross Barnes, Boston Red Stockings
1875 - Ross Barnes, Boston Red Stockings
1876 - Tom Carey, Chicago White Stockings
1877 - Tom Carey, Chicago White Stockings
1878 - Bob Addy, Cincinnati Reds

Shortstop

1871 - Dickie Flowers, Troy Haymakers
1872 - Ed Duffy, Brooklyn Eckfords
1873 - Jimmy Hallinan, Baltimore Canaries
1874 - Jimmy Hallinan, Baltimore Canaries
1875 - Tom Barlow, Brooklyn Atlantics
1876 - George Wright, Boston Red Caps
1877 - John Bass, Chicago White Stockings
1878 - George Wright, Milwaukee Grays

Third Base

1871 - Steve Bellan, Troy Haymakers
1872 - Cap Anson, Brooklyn Atlantics
1873 - Davy Force, Philadelphia Whites
1874 - Fred Waterman, Brooklyn Atlantics
1875 - Ezra Sutton, Chicago White Stockings
1876 - Fred Waterman, Hartford Dark Blues
1877 - Ezra Sutton, St. Louis Brown Stockings
1878 - Ezra Sutton, Indianapolis Blues

Left Field

1871 - Fred Treacey, Chicago White Stockings
1872 - Charlie Pabor, Cleveland Forest Citys
1873 - Fred Treacey, Philadelphia Athletics
1874 - Steve King, New York Mutuals
1875 - Fred Treacey, Philadelphia Athletics
1876 - Al Thake, Chicago White Stockings
1877 - Count Gedney, Hartford Dark Blues
1878 - Abner Dalrymple, Milwaukee Grays

Center Field

1871 - Tom Foley, Chicago White Stockings
1872 - Count Sensenderfer, Philadelphia Athletics
1873 - George Hall, Philadelphia Athletics
1874 - Paul Hines, Philadelphia Whites
1875 - Frank McCarton, New York Mutuals
1876 - Tom Foley, Hartford Dark Blues
1877 - Count Sensenderfer, Boston Red Caps
1878 - Count Sensenderfer, Boston Red Caps

Right Field

1871 - Lip Pike, Troy Haymakers
1872 - Elmer White, Cleveland Forest Citys
1873 - George Bechtel, Philadelphia Athletics
1874 - George Heubel, Philadelphia Athletics
1875 - George Bechtel, Philadelphia Athletics
1876 - Orator Shaffer, Hartford Dark Blues
1877 - John Glenn, Hartford Dark Blues
1878 - Orator Shaffer, Boston Red Caps

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

Rookie of the Year Award - Nominees

Abner Dalrymple, Milwaukee Grays - LF (0-23-.303-1) - In most years, his rookie performance in the outfield would be something to celebrate. This year he was overshadowed by...

Buttercup Dickerson, Cincinnati Reds - RF (0-30-.365-0) - Simply put, one of the best rookie performances ever for a position player.

King Kelly, Cincinnati Reds - SS (0-19-.245-4) - He had a decent season, but most observers expected something more from him.

John Montgomery Ward, Providence Grays - RHP (14-20, 2.64) - He did a pretty good job with a terrible team this season.

Ned Williamson, Indianapolis Blues - 3B (0-6-.259-0) - He took over a starting role late in the season and did a credible job for Indy.

And the 1878 Rookie of the Year is.... BUTTERCUP DICKERSON, with Abner Dalrymple as the runner-up.

Rookie of the Year

1871 - Dickie Flowers, Troy
1872 - Frank McCarton, Middletown
1873 - Jack Manning, Boston
1874 - Steve Brady, Hartford
1875 - Sam Weaver, Philadelphia (W)
1876 - Foghorn Bradley, Boston
1877 - Bobby Mitchell, Cincinnati
1878 - Buttercup Dickerson, Cincinnati

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

Cartwright Award - Nominees

Foghorn Bradley, Boston Red Caps - RHP (34-19, 2.71, 471.2 IP, 527 H, 31 BB, 1676 K, 2 HR) - He had an outstanding year and led the league in wins, so he might be a contender for the award.

Pud Galvin, Indianapolis Blues - RHP (26-23, 2.52, 424.1 IP, 458 H, 37 BB, 211 K, 3 HR) - After three years of toiling with some terrible teams, he finally had the first winning season of his career.

Dick McBride, Milwaukee Grays - RHP (16-22, 2.76, 319.1 IP, 365 H, 41 BB, 100 K, 1 HR) - He regained some of the outstanding form from early in his career, and proved that he still has the ability to get batsmen out.

Bobby Mitchell, Cincinnati Reds - LHP (23-18, 2.61, 372.1 IP, 409 H, 38 BB, 257 K, 1 HR) - He is an outstanding young pitcher, but his team was something of a disappointment so his chances are slim.

J. O'Neill, Chicago White Stockings - RHP (29-15, 1.87, 405.0 IP, 421 H, 25 BB, 131 K, 2 HR) - He had an amazing year, leading the league in ERA by a considerable margin and winning his third consecutive pennant. Unless Bradley pulls off the upset, he'll win his second award.

And the 1878 Cartwright Award winner is... J. O'NEILL. O'Neill continues to shine for an outstanding Chicago team that still has never failed to win the National League crown.

Cartwright Award

1871 - Dick McBride, Philadelphia
1872 - Dick McBride, Philadelphia
1873 - Dick McBride, Philadelphia (A)
1874 - Dick McBride, Philadelphia (A)
1875 - Sam Weaver, Philadelphia (W)
1876 - J. O'Neill, Chicago
1877 - Harry Arundel, Louisville
1878 - J. O'Neill, Chicago

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

Most Valuable Hitter - Nominees

Ross Barnes, Boston Red Caps - 2B (1-46-.338-7) - He returned to second base and to Boston, and had a truly outstanding season, although even their "Big Three" was not enough to stop Chicago. Previous winner in 1877.

Buttercup Dickerson, Cincinnati Reds - RF (0-30-.365-0) - Yes, this teenage rookie was actually good enough to merit some consideration for the MVH honors.

Cal McVey, Boston Red Caps - C (0-41-.355-9) - He had some great numbers this season, including a batting title. However, a lot of teams had great-hitting catchers, and Boston failed to win the title despite his efforts. Previously won in 1872.

Levi Meyerle, Chicago White Stockings - 3B (1-31-.323-5) - His main claim to the award is that, once again, he was the best player on the best team this season. Previously won in 1876.

Lip Pike, Milwaukee Grays - 2B (2-41-.335-8) - His numbers were outstanding, but he also played for a team that wasn't very good.

And the 1878 Most Valuable Hitter award goes to... ROSS BARNES, in a very close ballot. This gives Barnes two consecutive awards, while fellow keystone player Lip Pike finished second, and Cal McVey took third place in the voting.

Most Valuable Hitter Awards

1871 - Dickie Flowers, Troy
1872 - Cal McVey, Boston
1873 - Jim Foran, Philadelphia (W)
1874 - Cap Anson, Brooklyn
1875 - Cap Anson, Brooklyn
1876 - Levi Meyerle, Chicago
1877 - Ross Barnes, Louisville
1878 - Ross Barnes, Boston

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

THE 1879 SEASON BEGINS

The National League begins its fourth season, still having had only one champion for all that time. In addition, the instability of the league continues to be a serious problem. For the second consecutive year, exactly half of the teams in the league are new. However, this season the league is at least growing, which could be a good sign. Four of the six teams from last year are back - Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati and Providence. (Indianapolis and Milwaukee both had financial problems and folded during the offseason.) Three of the four new teams are from upstate New York - Buffalo, Syracuse and Troy, which will give the league a very different feel from past years. Cleveland returns to professional base ball to round out the field.

However, it is expected that the National League will be a two-team race this season. Boston should challenge Chicago for supremacy once again, which will hopefully make for a good race. The other six teams seem to be lagging far behind, so it is doubtful they will be able to do much to keep things interesting.

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

TEAM-BY-TEAM PROFILES - 1879 BEADLE BASE BALL PLAYER

BOSTON RED CAPS (36-24 in 1878)

Harry Wright's "Team of Stars" ended up being a three-headed monster, as Anson, McVey and Barnes were as great as expected. However, the rest of the team was somewhat disappointing. During the offseason, Wright was able to come up with the funding to sign Anson to a long-term deal, which means the three stars will be able to play together for at least four more seasons. However, this also means they will not have much money to sign other players, so they are going to need to find some cheap talent to supplement the offense.

8 C Cal McVey (0-41-.355-9) - He won the batting title in 1878, and continues to be one of the league's best hitters.
6 1B Ed Cogswell (rookie) - Since Anson is moving to third to make room for this young player, he'd better be as advertised.
11 2B Ross Barnes (1-46-.338-7) - All he's done is win back-to-back MVH Awards. Either he, McVey or Anson is the best player in the league.
50 SS John Morrill (0-26-.302-0) - Wright managed to develop this hotshot young infielder himself. The team hopes this will be a model they can follow with other players.
5 3B Cap Anson (1-35-.343-8) - He's a better fielder at first than third, and if Cogswell starts slowly look for him to head back across the diamond.
37 LF Mike Dorgan (0-45-.243-8) - Nothing great, but he's an adequate outfielder and still young enough to improve.
13 CF John O'Rourke (rookie) - This 29-year-old rookie is the older brother of Orator Jim O'Rourke of Chicago, so the pennant race will be something of a family feud.
24 RF Jack Manning (1-18-.223-0) - As a longtime Boston utility man, he's become something of a fan favorite, although it's hard to see why. He's neither a great hitter nor a great fielder.
9 P Curry Foley (rookie) - He won the job from Foghorn Bradley during the offseason, so he'll get a chance to show his stuff.

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

BUFFALO BISONS (new team)

Buffalo's squad is basically two star players (White and Pike) and a bunch of backups, rookies and has-beens. They certainly won't be challenging for the pennant, but if their three rookie outfielders do well they might be able to make a run at .500.

28 C Deacon White (0-21-.319-1 with Indianapolis) - Buffalo decided to build its team by signing a few big stars and letting the rest take care of itself. White is one of the stars, so there will be a lot of pressure this year.
26 1B Jake Goodman (3 for 26 with Milwaukee as a rookie) - Goodman is essentially a place-filler in Buffalo, as he did very little last season with Milwaukee.
27 2B Lip Pike (2-41-.335-8) - Perennial MVH candidate Lip Pike is another one of Buffalo's established vets. He'll turn 34 in the early season, so Buffalo is hoping he's still got a few more top-level seasons.
25 SS Ham Allen (7 for 18 with Chicago in 1878; lifetime .238 hitter) - A 32-year-old career backup, Allen isn't going to be the answer for the Bisons.
11 3B Dickie Flowers (3 for 15 with Milwaukee in 1878; lifetime .299 hitter) - He was a star in 1871-72 with Troy, and hasn't done much since. They're hoping the return to upstate New York does him good.
24 LF Joe Hornung (rookie) - Supposed to be a good young hitter, but time will tell.
35 CF Hardy Richardson (rookie) - Another relatively promising rookie.
21 RF NFN Shaffer (rookie) - He has been trying to catch on with a professional team for years, and appears to have finally done so.
15 P Dick McBride (16-22, 2.76 with Milwaukee in 1878; lifetime 146-80) - The 34-year-old McBride really resurrected his career last season in Milwaukee.

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

CHICAGO WHITE STOCKINGS (39-21 in 1878; three-time defending champions)

The three-time defending champions are making a few changes, but the core of their roster remains the same, with O'Rourke, O'Neill, Start and Meyerle. They are adding a couple new young starters in McClellan and Gore, which they hope will allow them to reload on the fly, and the shortstop situation is more unsettled than it's been in years, but this team is still expected to battle for the National League pennant.

30 C "Orator Jim" O'Rourke (0-43-.302-1) - O'Rourke is a very good hitter, and one of the anchors of this team. Interestingly, his older brother, a 29-year-old rookie, will be playing for Boston this season.
33 1B Joe "Old Reliable" Start (0-30-.333-0) - At 36, he's not getting any younger, but he just keeps turning out excellent seasons. The team hopes this will continue for at least one more year.
43 2B Bill McClellan (1-13-.287-2) - This skilled 23-year-old was given a chance to play as a rookie down the stretch last year and performed well. As a result, they've handed him the job permanently.
1 SS John Peters (0-7-.206-0) - Circumstances conspired to get him this chance to start. John Bass opened last year at short and was hitting .380 when he went down to a career-threatening injury. Then Tom Barlow stepped in and performed quite well. However, with the team still financially committed to Bass, Barlow refused to resign with the club, leaving Peters as the starting shortstop. He will return to a backup role if Bass is able to play this year.
27 3B Levi Meyerle (1-31-.323-5) - He has probably been the most crucial position player in their three-year championship run. An outstanding hitter and third baseman, who at 33 shows no signs of slowing down.
11 LF Paul Hines (0-40-.250-2) - His stats weren't that great in 1878, but he is a fan favorite and has been a starter throughout the team's championship run. Moves to left field from center this year.
7 CF George Gore (rookie) - This 21-year-old is said to be a great young player. This team could really use the infusion of young talent, so they have high hopes for him.
34 RF Charlie Eden (0-20-.270-0) - At 24, he's still young enough to improve, but it looks like he's going to develop into a solid player rather than a star.
13 P J. O'Neill (29-15, 1.87; lifetime 102-62) - He is finally beginning to get some credit as a key to Chicago's success in recent years. In 1878 he won his second career Cartwright Award.

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

CINCINNATI REDS (30-30 in 1878)

This team improved to respectability in 1878. However, despite the fact that they are lagging behind Boston and Chicago in talent, they made no big moves this offseason, seemingly content to have a solid first-division finish. As a result, they don't seem likely to finish any higher than third this year.

8 C Dick Higham (1-29-.318-0) - He had another solid season last year here, and is probably one of the more underrated players in all of base ball.
12 1B Clipper Flynn (0-27-.297-3) - Not a star, but a very good player - he definitely solves any issues they might have had at this position.
13 2B Bob "Magnet" Addy (0-22-.243-1) - A very good fielder, but a mediocre hitter. At age 34, he's not getting any younger.
17 SS King Kelly (0-19-.245-4) - He looks like a good young player, although at age 21 he's still got a lot of developing left to do. His future is probably not at short, as he seemed overmatched at times last season.
34 3B Steve Bellan (0-16-.247-6) - This scrappy Cuban is an adequate but unspectacular infielder.
28 LF Buttercup Dickerson (0-30-.365-0) - Last year's surprise Rookie of the Year looks like a great up-and-coming hitter. They are hoping he and Kelly provide a good young one-two punch in the years to come.
43 CF Pete "Monkey" Hotaling (rookie) - They are hoping he will be the Buttercup Dickerson of 1879.
9 RF Jack "Death to Flying Things" Chapman (5 for 11 in 1878; lifetime .224 hitter) - Chapman has never been a good hitter, and he turns 36 a week into the season. This does not seem likely to last for long.
3 P Bobby Mitchell (23-18, 2.61) - He has developed into one of the league's best pitchers, and as a left-handed 23-year-old, he looks to have a bright future.

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

CLEVELAND BLUES (new team)

For their first season, Cleveland has a mixture of untested rookies (Kennedy, Creamer, Glasscock, Stockwell) and solid veterans (Foran, Bechtel, Waterman). Given the state of the rest of the National League (other than Chicago and Boston), .500 does not seem out of the question for this team.

16 C Doc Kennedy (rookie) - He seems to be a promising young catcher.
26 1B Jim Foran (0-35-.276-6 with Milwaukee; lifetime .335 hitter) - It seems like he's been around forever, but in reality he's only 30 years old and could still have many good years in front of him.
23 2B George Creamer (2 for 6 with Milwaukee in 1878 as rookie) - He's a very good infielder, so if he can actually hit reasonably well he could have a long career.
49 SS Jack Glasscock (rookie) - Another slick-fielding infielder who just needs to hit well enough to get by.
9 3B Fred Waterman (0-27-.268-8 with Boston; lifetime .332 hitter) - He had a down year in 1878, so Boston cut him loose and he signed a four-year deal with Cleveland that will keep him here until he is 37 years old. There is some concern about how much he's got left.
44 LF Abner Dalrymple (0-23-.303-1 with Milwaukee as rookie) - This outstanding young player should help build Cleveland's credibility quickly.
7 CF Len Stockwell (rookie) - This 19-year-old is not expected to be very good, but they don't have a lot of options in center field.
6 RF George Bechtel (1-43-.238-5 with Cincinnati/Indianapolis; lifetime .288 hitter) - After an unsettled 1878 which saw him spend time with two different teams, he signed a four-year deal with a player option that should keep him in Ohio for a long time. One of the more consistent corner outfielders in the game.
51 P Jim McCormick (2-1, 2.78 with Indianapolis as rookie) - On the strength of a few good games in Indianapolis, this 22-year-old has been handed the starting job.

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

PROVIDENCE GRAYS (19-41 in 1878)

This club was terrible in 1878, and seems to have changed little this season. While they do have a brand new infield, only Tom Carey has any proven skills. They simply don't look like they're going to be any better in 1879.

33 C John Clapp (1-25-.216-0) - They expected him to be a solid bat, but thought he might struggle to field the position. Instead, he won a Gold Glove and was a terrible hitter.
34 1B John Donnelly (0-10-.247-0 with Indianapolis; lifetime .270 hitter) - Hiring a 34-year-old career backup who doesn't hit much doesn't exactly seem like a solution at this position.
42 2B Tom Carey (0-21-.283-0 with Chicago; lifetime .306 hitter) - He'll definitely be a upgrade at the position, and gives them one more good veteran.
4 SS Lou Say (4 games with Chicago in 1878; lifetime .237 hitter) - This slick-fielding 25-year-old is getting his first real chance to start in the major leagues after several years as a backup in Chicago.
37 3B Jim Devlin (0-5-.197-0 with Chicago; lifetime .261 hitter) - He lost his job in Chicago a couple seasons ago, and is getting a new lease on life with this weak Providence club.
28 LF Charley Jones (1-31-.291-0) - He was one of the only professional-quality players the team had in 1878.
22 CF Frank McCarton (0-10-.265-1) - This great young hitter was hurt for most of 1878, and hopes to make a full recovery this season.
6 RF John Glenn (0-21-.244-1) - A mediocre but popular hitter who might have trouble starting for a better team.
43 P Harry Wheeler (2-16, 3.02 as a rookie) - It's not obvious that this 21-year-old is the answer, but this club is so far from being a contender that it hardly matters.

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

SYRACUSE STARS (new team)

This new team's strategy for competing appears to be "gather together as many veteran castoffs who haven't done much in recent years as possible." Nevertheless, they appear to have professional-level talent at most positions. It appears that they will be a bad team, but perhaps not a truly abysmal one.

34 C Mike McGeary (1-2-.280-0 with Boston; lifetime .271 hitter) - He has had trouble getting a starting job in recent years, so this new team was great news for him.
17 1B Everett Mills (DNP in 1878; lifetime .302 hitter) - This 34-year-old was out of base ball in 1878, and his only previous years as a starter were 1871 and 1877.
20 2B Andy Leonard (0-23-.260-2 with Indianapolis; lifetime .325 hitter) - This solid veteran had a down year in 1878, but is still a big pickup for this club.
10 SS Jimmy Hallinan (0-26-.250-2 with Milwaukee; lifetime .290 hitter) - Hallinan is another solid but unspectacular middle infielder.
16 3B Harry "Silk Stockings" Schafer (0 for 1 with Milwaukee in 1878; lifetime .280 hitter) - He's a slick fielder, but he also is 32 years old and hasn't played regularly since 1873. Don't expect too much.
23 LF Mike Mansell (rookie) - He's got a lot of veterans around to learn from. Looks to be a pretty average player.
27 CF Tom Foley (0-23-.237-0 with Indianapolis; lifetime .261 hitter) - Desptie the fact that he's really not very good, he keeps getting starting jobs. Look for another year of slightly below mediocre play.
21 RF Steve Brady (2-25-.239-2 with Indianapolis; lifetime .258 hitter) - He'll fit right in on this team filled with mediocre veterans.
28 P The Only Nolan (1-2, 1.66 with Indianapolis as rookie) - He just doesn't have enough of a track record to give any idea of his talent level, but the team has high hopes.

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

TROY TROJANS (new team)

A lot of people are very enthusiastic about this team. They are absolutely loaded with young talent. While that talent is likely still a year or two away from making them a contender, they definitely look like a possible team of the future.

21 C Charlie Bennett (1-20-.280-0 with Milwaukee as rookie) - This talented 24-year-old looks like he could develop into one of the better catchers of the 80s.
26 1B Dan Brouthers (rookie) - This hulking 20-year-old is a highly touted young player. They expect big things from him.
34 2B Ed Caskin (rookie) - A little too old (27) to be a hot young rookie, but they still feel pretty confident about this inexperienced infielder.
17 SS Tom Barlow (0-24-.311-1 with Chicago; lifetime .329 hitter) - After two years of getting what he felt was insufficient respect from Chicago, he headed back east to help this new team get started.
3 3B Ned Williamson (0-6-.259-0 with Indianapolis as rookie) - Another talented young player. This team is really set up well for the future.
62 Tom "Brick" Mansell (rookie) - This 24-year-old is the older brother of Syracuse's new left fielder. They both look like adequate players, but not much better.
40 CF "Hartford Jack" Farrell (0-25-.255-2 with Milwaukee; lifetime .243 hitter) - He doesn't have a stellar track record, but he's a solid defensive center fielder and is only 23 years old so there's room to improve.
22 RF "Bloody Jake" Evans (rookie) - This 22-year-old has a reputation as a good defender, but there are doubts about his hitting ability.
45 P Pud Galvin (26-23, 2.52 with Indianapolis; lifetime 65-118) - Another great young player - it's easy to forget that he's only 22 years old.

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

Predicted order of finish, 1879:

Boston Red Caps
Chicago White Stockings
Cincinnati Reds
Troy Trojans
Cleveland Blues
Buffalo Bisons
Providence Grays
Syracuse Stars

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

May 4, 1879 - Sunday Base Ball Report

Cincinnati Reds 3-0
Cleveland Blues 3-0
Chicago White Stockings 2-0
Boston Red Caps 2-1
Buffalo Bisons 1-2
Syracuse Stars 0-2
Providence Grays 0-3
Troy Trojans 0-3

Not too many big shocks in the first week of the season. Cincinnati, Boston, and Chicago all looked good, as did Cleveland thanks to good starts by veterans Jim Foran and George Bechtel. Boston and Cleveland will meet this week, which should provide a good early test for both clubs. Meanwhile, Chicago and Cincinnati both have relatively easy weeks this week.

The current league leaders:

Batting Average - .727, John Peters, Chicago White Stockings
On-Base Percentage - .727, John Peters, Chicago White Stockings
Slugging Percentage - .818, John Peters, Chicago White Stockings
OPS - 1.545, John Peters, Chicago White Stockings
Hits - 8, 5 players tied
Doubles - 3, Jack Manning, Boston Red Caps
Triples - 2, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
Home Runs - 1, 3 players tied
Extra Base Hits - 3, Jack Manning, Boston and Fred Waterman, Cleveland
Total Bases - 9, 4 players tied
Runs Batted In - 6, "Long Jim" Holdsworth, Buffalo Bisons
Runs Scored - 7, "Honest John" Morrill, Boston Red Caps
Stolen Bases - 1, 6 players tied
Walks - 1, 17 players tied
Strikeouts - 4, Charlie Bennett, Troy Trojans
RC/27 - 58.91, John Peters, Chicago White Stockings
ISO - .357, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
VORP (Batting) - 5.2, John Peters, Chicago White Stockings

Earned Run Average - 0.00, 3 players tied
Wins - 2, 3 players tied
Losses - 2, Pud Galvin, Troy and Harry Wheeler, Providence
Saves - 0
Innings Pitched - 18, 3 players tied
Shutouts - 0
Walks - 4, Pud Galvin, Troy Trojans
Strikeouts - 15, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
H/9IP - 4.00, George Knight, Cincinnati Reds
HR/9IP - 0.00, many players tied
BB/9IP - 0.00, 6 players tied
K/9IP - 9.20, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
K/BB Ratio - cannot be calculated for players with zero walks
Opp. Avg. - .121, George Knight, Cincinnati Reds
WHIP - 0.55, J. O'Neill, Chicago White Stockings
VORP (Pitching) - 5.8, Jim McCormick, Cleveland Blues

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

May 11, 1879 - Sunday Base Ball Report

Cincinnati Reds 5-1
Cleveland Blues 5-1
Chicago White Stockings 4-2
Boston Red Caps 3-3
Buffalo Bisons 2-4
Providence Grays 2-4
Troy Trojans 2-4
Syracuse Stars 1-5

Other than the established teams, the Cleveland Blues appear to be the story of the early season. Thus far, it has been Cleveland's veterans - Foran, Bechtel, and Waterman - who have led the charge, with a little help from young players such as Abner Dalrymple and Jack Glasscock. Cleveland plays only Syracuse and Troy for the rest of May, so they have a chance to fatten up their record before taking on Cincinnati and Chicago.

The current league leaders:

Batting Average - .480, Buttercup Dickerson, Cincinnati Reds
On-Base Percentage - .480, Buttercup Dickerson, Cincinnati Reds
Slugging Percentage - .650, Mike Hooper, Syracuse Stars
OPS - 1.050, Mike Hooper, Syracuse Stars
Hits - 13, 3 players tied
Doubles - 5, John Peters, Chicago White Stockings
Triples - 4, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
Home Runs - 1, 9 players tied
Extra Base Hits - 5, 3 players tied
Total Bases - 18, John Peters, Chicago and Fred Waterman, Cleveland
Runs Batted In - 10, Dickie Flowers, Buffalo Bisons
Runs Scored - 10, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
Stolen Bases - 3, Cap Anson, Boston Red Caps
Walks - 3, Ham Allen, Buffalo and Charlie Bennett, Troy
Strikeouts - 6, 4 players tied
RC/27 - 13.96, Buttercup Dickerson, Cincinnati Reds
ISO - .321, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
VORP (Batting) - 4.8, John Peters, Chicago White Stockings

Earned Run Average - 0.00, NFN McDoolan, Syracuse Stars
Wins - 3, 3 players tied
Losses - 3, Pud Galvin, Troy and The Only Nolan, Syracuse
Saves - 0
Innings Pitched - 30 2/3, Dick McBride, Buffalo Bisons
Shutouts - 0
Walks - 4, Tommy Bond, Providence and Pud Galvin, Troy
Strikeouts - 20, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
H/9IP - 6.35, Tommy Bond, Providence
HR/9IP - 0.00, many players tied
BB/9IP - 0.00, NFN McDoolan, Syracuse Stars
K/9IP - 7.61, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
K/BB Ratio - cannot be calculated for players with zero walks
Opp. Avg. - .148, Tommy Bond, Providence Grays
WHIP - 0.79, J. O'Neill, Chicago White Stockings
VORP (Pitching) - 8.5, J. O'Neill, Chicago White Stockings

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

May 18, 1879 - Sunday Base Ball Report

Cincinnati Reds 8-1
Cleveland Blues 5-3
Chicago White Stockings 5-4
Troy Trojans 5-4
Providence Grays 4-5
Syracuse Stars 3-5
Boston Red Caps 3-6
Buffalo Bisons 2-7

Along with the startling success of the Cincinnati Reds, the big story so far has been the terrible start of the Boston Red Caps, picked by many (including this writer) to win the pennant. At present, Boston leads the league in runs scored, but has struggled to prevent runs. Things don't get any easier for Boston, as their next six games are against the three-time defending champions, who are trying to shake off a slow start of their own.

The current league leaders:

Batting Average - .472, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues
On-Base Percentage - .500, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues
Slugging Percentage - .632, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
OPS - 1.056, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues
Hits - 17, Cap Anson, Boston and Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland
Doubles - 5, 3 players tied
Triples - 5, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
Home Runs - 1, 11 players tied
Extra Base Hits - 7, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
Total Bases - 24, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
Runs Batted In - 12, Dickie Flowers, Buffalo Bisons
Runs Scored - 13, Charley Jones, Providence Grays
Stolen Bases - 4, Cap Anson, Boston Red Caps
Walks - 4, Ham Allen, Buffalo and Charlie Bennett, Troy
Strikeouts - 9, Jim O'Rourke, Chicago and Joe Start, Chicago
RC/27 - 14.40, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues
ISO - .316, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
VORP (Batting) - 6.5, Cap Anson, Boston Red Caps

Earned Run Average - 0.79, Tommy Bond, Providence Grays
Wins - 6, Bobby Mitchell, Cincinnati Reds
Losses - 4, Curry Foley, Boston and Dick McBride, Buffalo
Saves - 0
Innings Pitched - 55, J. O'Neill, Chicago White Stockings
Shutouts - 1, Bobby Mitchell, Cincinnati Reds
Walks - 10, Curry Foley, Boston Red Caps
Strikeouts - 37, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
H/9IP - 6.35, Tommy Bond, Providence
HR/9IP - 0.00, many players tied
BB/9IP - 0.20, Jim McCormick, Cleveland Blues
K/9IP - 6.70, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
K/BB Ratio - 24.00, Jim McCormick, Cleveland Blues
Opp. Avg. - .148, Tommy Bond, Providence Grays
WHIP - 0.83, John "Lefty" McMullin, Cleveland Blues
VORP (Pitching) - 10.4, Bobby Mitchell, Cincinnati Reds

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

May 25, 1879 - Sunday Base Ball Report

Cincinnati Reds 10-2
Chicago White Stockings 7-5
Troy Trojans 7-5
Cleveland Blues 6-5
Syracuse Stars 5-6
Providence Grays 5-7
Boston Red Caps 4-8
Buffalo Bisons 3-9

Cincinnati and Chicago will have their first road games of the year this week, so perhaps the eastern swings they're about to begin will level the field a bit. Cincinnati will be at Troy this week, while Boston will host Chicago. Boston and Chicago met last week in the Windy City and the hosts took two of three games.

The current league leaders:

Batting Average - .429, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues
On-Base Percentage - .451, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues
Slugging Percentage - .529, Dick Higham, Cincinnati Reds
OPS - .956, Buttercup Dickerson, Cincinnati Reds
Hits - 21, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland and Jim O'Rourke, Chicago
Doubles - 6, 3 players tied
Triples - 5, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
Home Runs - 1, 14 players tied
Extra Base Hits - 8, Dickie Flowers, Buffalo Bisons
Total Bases - 27, Dick Higham, Cincinnati Reds
Runs Batted In - 16, Dickie Flowers, Buffalo Bisons
Runs Scored - 15, Charley Jones, Providence Grays
Stolen Bases - 4, Cap Anson, Boston Red Caps
Walks - 5, Ham Allen, Buffalo Bisons
Strikeouts - 10, Steve Bellan, Cincinnati and Len Stockwell, Cleveland
RC/27 - 10.55, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues
ISO - .235, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
VORP (Batting) - 6.6, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues

Earned Run Average - 1.36, Dick McBride, Buffalo Bisons
Wins - 8, Bobby Mitchell, Cincinnati Reds
Losses - 5, 3 players tied
Saves - 0
Innings Pitched - 73, J. O'Neill, Chicago White Stockings
Shutouts - 1, Curry Foley, Boston and Bobby Mitchell, Cincinnati
Walks - 11, Curry Foley, Boston Red Caps
Strikeouts - 48, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
H/9IP - 6.75, John "Lefty" McMullin, Cleveland Blues
HR/9IP - 0.00, many players tied
BB/9IP - 0.44, Jim McCormick, Cleveland Blues
K/9IP - 6.51, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
K/BB Ratio - 12.00, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
Opp. Avg. - .196, John "Lefty" McMullin, Cleveland Blues
WHIP - 0.83, John "Lefty" McMullin, Cleveland Blues
VORP (Pitching) - 15.3, Bobby Mitchell, Cincinnati Reds

[Eckstein 4 Prez]

June 1, 1879 - Sunday Base Ball Report

Cincinnati Reds 12-3
Chicago White Stockings 9-6
Providence Grays 8-7
Syracuse Stars 8-7
Troy Trojans 8-7
Cleveland Blues 7-8
Boston Red Caps 5-10
Buffalo Bisons 3-12

Cincinnati continues to lead the way in the National League, primarily on the strength of their defense and pitching. Bobby Mitchell (9-1, 1.62) has been spectacular as the team's primary pitcher, and the Reds continue to win all the close games. Meanwhile, Boston, expected to challenge for the pennant, cannot seem to beat anyone, in spite of the fact that they have the best offense in the league. Although their three stars - Anson, Barnes and McVey - are hitting as they always do, the team is still getting outscored on the season, 116 to 98.

This week Cincinnati will be traveling to Syracuse, where they are expected to win without too much trouble.

The current league leaders:

Batting Average - .403, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues
On-Base Percentage - .424, Cap Anson, Boston Red Caps
Slugging Percentage - .508, John Peters, Chicago White Stockings
OPS - .913, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues
Hits - 27, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues
Doubles - 7, John Peters, Chicago White Stockings
Triples - 5, Fred Waterman, Cleveland Blues
Home Runs - 2, George Gore, Chicago White Stockings
Extra Base Hits - 8, Dickie Flowers, Buffalo Bisons
Total Bases - 33, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland and Jim O'Rourke, Chicago
Runs Batted In - 19, Dickie Flowers, Buffalo Bisons
Runs Scored - 17, Charley Jones, Providence Grays
Stolen Bases - 4, Cap Anson, Boston Red Caps
Walks - 6, King Kelly, Cincinnati Reds
Strikeouts - 15, Len Stockwell, Cleveland Blues
RC/27 - 9.44, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues
ISO - .175, Dickie Flowers, Buffalo Bisons
VORP (Batting) - 8.1, Abner Dalrymple, Cleveland Blues

Earned Run Average - 1.30, Martin Malone, Cleveland Blues
Wins - 9, Bobby Mitchell, Cincinnati Reds
Losses - 7, Curry Foley, Boston and Dick McBride, Buffalo
Saves - 0
Innings Pitched - 91, J. O'Neill, Chicago White Stockings
Shutouts - 1, 3 players tied
Walks - 13, Pud Galvin, Troy Trojans
Strikeouts - 57, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
H/9IP - 7.56, Martin Malone, Cleveland Blues
HR/9IP - 0.00, 8 players tied
BB/9IP - 0.43, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
K/9IP - 6.08, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
K/BB Ratio - 14.25, Harry Wheeler, Providence Grays
Opp. Avg. - .185, Martin Malone, Cleveland Blues
WHIP - 0.91, Martin Malone, Cleveland Blues
VORP (Pitching) - 15.1, Bobby Mitchell, Cincinnati Reds